Don't Call Me Grumpycorn

Why do you make Unicorn so TERRIBLE at playing with others?

Many of you will know what it's like when you are making or organising something, and then other people come along and don't do things exactly the way you'd want them to. It can be very frustrating! I remember in school, being assigned group projects and struggling to keep my cool. I think a lot of children (and adults!) will relate to that idea of wanting to do something your own way, because that's the RIGHT way. Sometimes we need to give in and listen to everyone else, and compromise, but that can be painful.

Unicorn is such a twit! Does he grow in this book?

Unicorn assumes that the other unicorns on Unicorn Planet will be the best, most fabulous friends, and he runs off and leaves Mermaid, Narwhal and Jellyfish in a lurch. But he learns that sometimes the cool kids aren't always the best friends, and realised that his true home is with his motley old crew of friends who love him and who forgive him for acting like a bratty drama queen. It's a story about forgiveness, belonging, and appreciating the people who really love us.

What's your favourite part of the story?

When Unicorn has gone off with his 'fabulous friends', there's a moment when Mermaid and Narwhal have got caught up in Unicorn's idea that they belong on the planet that are populated by creatures the most similar to them. Mermaid is resigned to go to Mermaid Planet, and Narwhal, to the Narwhal Planet. But Jellyfish isn't buying into that; for all his silly ways, he knows that 'home' isn't about sameness, but it's the place where we feel welcome, where we can be with the people who love us, who put up with us, and who have shared experiences with us. His plaintive 'I want to go home' really struck a chord with me when I wrote it, and that's when I knew this book could work.